Fly-fan.



J. W. RICHARDS, JR.

FLY FAN.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 21, 1911. 1,039, 1 96. atented Sept. 24, 1912.

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p I 32 41a Z7 Z 22 26 $9 E! 66 7 o 6 o *I 5 59 i: i'" 6 v i L a0 Pia-z-Z1 J. W. RICHARDS, JR.

FLY FAN.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1911.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wmwuo JOHN W. RICHARDS, JR., 013 FLINT, MICHIGAN.

FLY-FAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

Application filed November 21, 1911. Serial No. 661,487.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. RICHARDS, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Flint, in the county of Genesee and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Fans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fly fans adapted for use in connection withscreen doors, and has for its object to produce a device of thischaracter which may be easily and quickly attached to the upper sill ofa door frame, and between the screen door and usual door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter with a spring adapted to be wound when the screen door isopening, the resultant tension of the spring acting to close the door,thus eliminating separate door closing springs.

A still further object is to provide a fan that will operate upon theinitial openlng movement of the door.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claimhereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope ofthe claim may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a screen door and aportion of a building, the door being shown in its open position, andthe fan attached. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a similar view, looking toward the top of the door frame. Fig.4 is a detailed sectional View of the spring and its connected parts.Fig. 5 is an end view of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a screen door, thesame being hingedly connected to the casing 2, and in the usual manner.

The device consists of a supporting bar 3, the same being adapted to besecured to the upper sill 4 of the door frame in any suitable manner.Secured to the under surface of the supporting bar 3 is a rectangularframe 5, said frame consisting of vertical end bars 6 and upper andlower horizontal bars 7 and 8 respectively, said bars being arranged in.spaced parallel relation. The bar 7 is provided with a series of alined'ierforations 9, said direct alinement with the lower bar 8.

Arranged between the upper and lower bars 7 and 8 is a plurality ofvertically disposed fan blades 11, each of which being provided with acentral bore 12, the bore of each blade being adapted to register withthe perforations 9 of the upper bar 7 and the sockets 10 of the lowerbar 8. Passing through the bores 12 of the blades are shafts 13, thelower ends of which project slightly beyond the lower edges of saidblades and are seated in the sockets 10. The upper ends of the shafts 13pass through the perforations 9 in the upper bar 7 and are formed withcrank arms 14. A link 15 is provided and is formed throughout its lengthwith a plurality of spaced perforations 16, and in which the crank armsengage. The link 15 is held against accidental displacement by cotterpins 17 which are passed through the crank arms of the endmost shafts.

Rotatably secured to the central under surface of the supporting bar 3is a grooved pulley 18, said pulley being provided with an eccentricallyarranged aperture 19, and in which is loosely journaled the upperextended end 20 of the centrally located shaft.

Mounted adjacent one of the side bars 6 is a shaft 21, the lower end ofwhich is journaled in the lower bar 8, and the upper end thereof beingpassed through a perforation 22 formed in the upper bar 7. The upper endof the shaft 21 extends upwardly and has secured to its extreme upperend a grooved pulley 23, said pulley being arranged in direct alinementwith the pulley 18. Passing around the pulleys 18 and 23 and operativelyconnecting the same, is an endless belt 24, the purpose of which will behereinafter described.

Fixed to the shaft 21 and immediately below the upper bar 7 is a drum25, and around which is wound a cord 26, the outer end of said cordbeing detachably connected in any suitable manner to a bracket 27 canried by the screen door. A coil spring 28 surrounds the shaft 21 and hasits upper terminal secured thereto, while the lower terminal of saidspring is secured in the lower sockets 10 formed in perforations beingin i cause the link j tension and will cause in the opposite direction,

3 door frame, a frame supported y bar 8. Adapted to inclose the spring28 is a casing 29, the lower end of which is provided with outwardlyextending flanges 30,

and by which said casing is rigidly connected to the lower bar 8.

From this construction it will be seen that upon opening the screen doorthe cord 26 will unwind and rotate the drum 25, thus causing thetensioning of the spring 28 and rotating the pulley 23, which in turn,through the belt 24 similarly operates the pulley 18, which during itsrotation will 15 to oscillate and impart rotatory movement to the fanblades 11 through their shafts and crank arms 12 and 14:, respectively.Upon a person freeing the door, the spring 28 will be relieved of thethe drum 25 to rotate thus pulling the door to its closed position, andconsequently reversing the rotation of the fan blades 11, which actionpreventing flies from entering the building during the opening andclosing of the screen door. Thus it will be seen that by providing thepulley 18 with the eccentrically arranged aperture 19 all of the fanblades 11 will be operated simultaneously aluring the opening andclosing of the screen oor.

What is claimed is:

A fly fan comprising a supporting bar adapted to be secured to the up ersill of a said bar and consisting of end, and upper and lower bars, theupper bar being provided with a series of spaced perforations, socketsformed in the lower bar, a plurality of fan blades mounted between saidbars, shafts passing through the perforations in the upper bar andthrough said blades, the lower ends of said shafts being seated in thesockets of the lower bar, crank arms formed upon the upper ends of saidshafts, a link pivotally connected to said crank arms, a

pulley rotatably supported by the supporting bar, one of said crankshafts being eccentrically connected to said pulley, a shaft rotatablymounted adjacent one of the end bars, a second pulley fixed to the upperend of said. shaft, an endless belt operatively connecting said pulleys,a drum connected to said shaft, a cord wound upon said drum and havingits ends adapted tobeconnected to a screen door, a spring surroundingsaid shaft and having one of its ends secured thereto and its other endsecured to the lower bar, whereby when said door is opened or closed,said drum will rotate said shaft and pulleys to oscillate the link tosimultaneously rotate said blades, said spring acting to positivelyclose the door.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN w. RICHARDS, JR.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. GIBBs, \VILLIE E. BRAMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

